Cape May Professional Photographer | Kaitlin Noel Photography
I am one insanely lucky photographer. Not only do I have the worlds best and most beautiful clients inside and out…I also have an INSANELY awesome fan base made up of other photographers and just super supportive souls out there from all over the world. It is an insane compliment to have another photographer admire your work, follow you, support you and share in your success. Anna D. Bruce contacted with the most refreshing level of confidence I have seen in quite some time.
She knows exactly who she is, where shes going, what she likes –weird to some, maybe…but to her…simply being true to herself. Within the first minute of reading her email I KNEW who she was, where she wanted to go, and I felt the excitement along with her. She mentioned that she just released a new site and sounded like she is over the moon about it. I obviously stalked her just a bit…and I loved it! Clean, simple, a bit edgy meets editorial!
She has some of the most amazing before and after shots from her glamour sessions and her entire blog is about food. She confessed the following to me:
” I am a food/chef wanna be. I love Britney Spears AND Metallica. I love Tattoos (Only have 2… small ones lol). I drive a “pimped out” Subaru WRX and I knit.”
I just adore individuality, uniqueness, go-getterness, and the ability to let her talents shine through. I cant wait for you all to meet her and hear a little more about her story and her business. So without further ado, I present Ms. Anna D. Bruce!!!
1.Tell us something about your business and how long you have been a professional photographer?
I started in 2010 when I decided that I just could not work my day job anymore. I had been itching for 6 months to shoot beautiful weddings like the pros I had been following. I had a bumpy start (which I shall not talk about) but in August of 2011 I threw my ducks together (not even in a row lol) and turned my photo “blog” to a business. I started photographing just about anything. It was about testing out what I liked and didn’t like. I did weddings up until I decided to make 2013 my last year doing weddings. I discovered women’s glamour photography and my world turned upside down. I felt so much inspiration and passion about it that I knew it is what I needed to do. So, I rebranded (well worked on a brand for the very first time) and here I am today… a glamour portrait photographer. I still do some other types of portraiture (if asked) but I what I focus on marketing is glamour.
I have been a “professional” photographer since 2007. I say “pro” since ’07 because that is when I was first paid by another photographer to work and shoot.
2. What equipment do you use?
I have 2, Nikon D700 bodies, 2 SB-900 Flashes, 50mm 1.4, 24-70mm 2.8, 80-200mm 2.8, 105mm 2.8 macro, 16mm 2.8 fisheye, a hot pink Alien Bee light and some other studio equipment.
3. Where are you located?
Springfield, VA (Northern VA close to DC).
4. What is your approach to glamour photography? Define your style?
My approach to glamour is educating women about an experience. How many of us take the time to celebrate ourselves? That coupled with a beautiful printed product that the client can take home.
Also, to me, glamour is a celebration of our “inner diva-ness”. We all have one and it is itching and begging to come out! My inner diva was pretty much dormant for the last 5 years. Makeup was a joke to me because I was lazy. Well, I make it a point to not be lazy anymore! I like being “glammed up and all sequiny” and stuff! I also love being pampered so that is what I have to offer to my clients – pampering them. My style is very modern with a touch of funky-punk rock. What do I mean by that? Well, I love lace, fishnets, tulle, corsets, chiffon and tattoos so I try to incorporate anyone of those elements when I can. I also like a lot of fluid and flowy materials so if I can get my client to dance in a flowy skirt or gown I am in la-la land!
5. When did you notice you had a passion for photography?
Photography is something that happened to me. As a kid I was very artistic, but I was more into drawing than photography. At that time, I was living in Venezuela and had a film camera. I would take lots of pictures, but I would rarely have them developed. This was because it was so expensive to have pictures developed. At the age of 14, I moved to California to live with my aunt. This was an unexpected life change for me, but a change that made me realize I wanted to document more of my life. I wanted to have photos of everything. Since I was now living in the US, it was less expensive to have pictures developed too. I started looking at other people’s pictures and noticed things in the images that I really liked. I was particularly drawn to the “blurry parts” of images and wondered how I could achieve that look with my own camera. I started looking at the colors and the shapes in my images too. I continued to document my life, but these images were entirely for me.
6. Most awkward moment during an event/shoot?
I was second shooting for another photographer. I am SOOOO BAD with names. Since the bride and groom weren’t my direct clients (I arrived to photograph and then left type of deal) I naturally didn’t remember the couples’ names. You see where this is going. So, I am instructing the groomsmen to pose for me, I am telling the guys where to stand and finally get to the groom… definitely called him something that was totally not his name! OMG!
7. What is the scariest thing that ever happened during a photo shoot?
My second camera body started to lock up at a wedding where I was the main photographer. I panicked. I knew it was my second camera but I started to FREAK out that my main camera would break too and then I would be in big trouble! Luckily I later found out it was the battery! *wipes sweat off brow*
8. Best advice you have been given in your photography career?
Educate, sell, educate, sell, educate, sell – Sue Bryce
9. Best advice that you could give someone else that is pursuing a photography career?
Do no quit your day job just yet. Do your finances first, figure out if you can afford to do it. Save, save, save, save and save some more. Did I mention save? Finally, don’t be overwhelmed by everyone out there. Instead of looking at everything that you cannot do and everything that you do not have change that mindset to an “I have mindset”. You will AMAZED at the solutions that you come up with. I would not have even tried glamour if I had not shifted out of that mentality into an “I have mindset”. Fear is the only thing holding you back from reaching for the stars. Leave fear at the door, put lots of love, good energy, passion, hard work and dedication into what you do. Find yourself someone who will always bring you up instead of down because you WILL need a buddy to lift you up when you are down. Just because you have X number of Facebook friends doesn’t mean they will all buy from you… learn how to market yourself (this was a real hard lesson for me). Finally, ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS follow your intuition no matter how irrational and crazy it may seem. I tell you from personal experience.
10. Best moment of your photography career?
Too many. I would have to say the wonderful people I have met along the way. All the wonderful people who have helped me, who have shared their lives with me and who have shared their stories and passions with me. Of course my family and friends who have kept me sane as I embarked on the long hard road of learning business! Oh, and my TV interview last summer ;)!
Another amazing interview—wouldn’t you say!?!? This series of mine really is just so rewarding. I love being connected with so many talented and spirited individuals.
To keep up with Anna, here are a few of her links. Go show her some love! : )
My website: www.annadbruce.com
My Blog: http://annadbruce.com/the-
Glamour:
http://annadbruce.com/gallery/
http://annadbruce.com/the-
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